game
by walaakongkwenta
Summary: Fuji and Eiji have never fought until one special day and the other regulars of Seigaku Tennis Club are trying their best to get out of the picture. Can a one-set match settle everything? What has started this fight in the first place?-twisted ending-


**A/N: Put your head in the game. Worthless Being (that's the English translation of my pen name, hoi) is back for another Dream Pair fic. I like imagining Fuji and Eiji as normal boys who fight over small things…thus the fic…read on.**

**Disclaimer: I have done 12 PoT fics already and one thing is the same…I still don't own it…Don't sue me, ne?**

**GAME**

It was a regular day for the Seigaku regulars and nothing could beat that. It was full of training, a couple of bottles of Inui's crazy concoctions (I wonder why he even bothers to make them anyway) and tons of bodies lying on the tennis courts, obvious results of the said juices.

One unusual event that day was the unusual tension for the most unlikely pair to have one: Kikumaru Eiji and Fuji Syuusuke pair, yup, the Dream Pair. No one had seen them argue before. No one had questioned their closeness before since they were classmates and were rumored to be the best of friends—although nobody could attest to the last bit of information though and no one really minded. They were still in middle school and being-the-bestfriend-of-this-and-that in those ages are not as serious a matter as it is for grownups. It was as simple as they were choosing who's who for doubles pairs in tennis. Get the point? It was simple…and complicated.

The point is Fuji Syuusuke and Kikumaru Eiji were not in good speaking terms that regular Seigaku day. It was not so obvious for other people because both boys were not known to be quite barbaric in showing their fury. It was _felt_ more than heard by the regulars on the other hand. For one thing, Fuji Syuusuke looked at Eiji Kikumaru with piercing blue eyes which had rarely happened. He had done that to check the latter's condition when they had been paired against a Rokkaku pair but Fuji's eyes at the moment were far beyond from caring. They were taunting.

For the other thing, Kikumaru Eiji's smile which had used to cheer up even the bluest of the blue person seemed to be a sneer now. That was the problem. Kikumaru Eiji was not supposed to sneer. He might be confident with his acrobatics and did not consider being humble in that field but he never domineered anybody, even Mukahi Gakuto.

So, can you blame the regulars every time they flinched whenever they saw the 'best friends' _talking_ to one another? It was as if the regulars, trying their very best to keep out of sight and argument, were playing hide and seek against the two. Echizen bit his tongue whenever he wanted to say _Mada Mada Dane_. Kaido made his hissing sound as inaudible as possible. Inui tried to gather as much data as he could without saying Ii data. Momoshiro only pointed at his opponent after executing one of his perfect Dunk smashes. Tezuka looked the other way when he wanted to say _Yudan Sezou ni Ikou_. Oishi excused himself to go to the comfort room—in fact he had 10 trips to the comfort room already—just to stop himself from interfering with the 'fight.' Kawamura, on the other hand, refused to touch his tennis racket, fearing that his burning mode might ignite the rage. It was difficult for the other regulars to force him hold his racket and practice.

You would think that they were overreacting. Their reactions were pretty normal though considering that it was their first time witnessing such argument. An example happened in their afternoon practice. It was the fault of an innocent Ryuzaki-sensei who thought everything could be fixed with a good "wan-setto-match." At the back of her mind, there was nothing she and the others could do about the argument unless the two settle it themselves or share to them their troubles. The latter was not already an option since it was not the characteristics of the boys to share problems—hadn't they proven they were able to solve things for themselves?

That was why there was the match. It was a chaos. Before you could have a mental picture of Fuji Syuusuke turning into a lighting god and Kikumaru Eiji a fire god while the world rumbles as darkness engulfed everything, imagine first the regulars actually asking Inui for a glass of the newest juice so that they could not witness this fight or somehow forget it altogether. After all, Inui's juices from Penal Tea to Aozu were sure to knock everyone down. How unfortunate were they though, that for the first time and the last probably, Inui ran out of his concoctions! He had not expected anyone to be willing to drink anything from him after the legendary Aozu which had rendered Fuji Syuusuke unconscious for quite some time.

The regulars got the point that they did not have any choice but watch the match. They tried to look for more interesting things though like how green the grass was, how cold the wind was, how blue the sky was, how swift the swallows were, how straight the courts were painted, and how old Ryuzaki sensei was.

They were still arguing about the last one since it was the most interesting—even Tezuka could not say anything against it but dimmed his glasses (he could do it in his free will, have you noticed?) and looked away—when they heard the normally friendly acrobat's challenging voice.

"Just admit it Syuu-chan, you can't be always be a tensai," Eiji sneered.

He did not even bother adding 'nya' to his sentence and Inui wondered if this was advantageous or not. It could either mean Eiji was getting mature or he was dead serious.

"You are not the one to say that," Fuji replied with his eyes open WITHOUT his smile. It was rare for him to get serious particularly in a practice game _particularly_ with a team member, a classmate, and a friend at that.

Just then a gust of wind blew. The regulars saw this as an opportunity to say something about the weather and tennis-unrelated stuffs.

The ball was served, received, returned, smashed, answered with a Higuma Otoshi, and countered with an acrobatic move. One point for Eiji.

By this time the regulars felt the need for air to breathe. They had been bating it for quite awhile. Oishi began to jitter again. "Aren't we going to stop this fight, Tezuka?"

The buchou remained unmoved. "Ryuzaki-sensei sees this game is necessary. We are not to do anything about it," was his response same as saying "I am going to wash my hands off the matter." You know Tezuka. If he could shorten his message, he would.

Back to the game. Eiji was doing well with his acrobatics and in fact, he got a game from Fuji. He was savoring it though while it could last. As most people say, the tensai would not take everything lying low. He would come back with a good vengeance and before he could, Eiji would just keep on scoring as long as his stamina lasted. That was why he was intent in making it a fast game. His 'bestfriend' was more terrible in the courts compared to Kaido Kaoru in terms of killing his opponents in a game of endurance.

The best way to finish the game was to keep Fuji out of focus.

Fuji served the ball.

Before Eiji answered it with a lob, he smirked at the tensai, and was getting good at it. "Ne, Fujiko-chan, I got higher score in History class yesterday!"

Fuji reached for the ball and smashed it, "That's because that's the only subject you excel in."

"Hontouni? Why did I get a higher score in Math today then?"

The ball hit the net.

"Lucky!"

Eiji executed a drop shot. One point for him again. "Ne, Syu-chan. Did I hit a wrong nerve?"

Fuji got another ball. "You certainly did, Eiji-kun."

Ryoma pulled foam ear plugs from his shorts but before he could even put them on, Momoshiro took them and tried fitting them into his ears. It was unfortunate of him though because Kaido Kaoru sneaked his way through and grabbed them. The three were arguing for that pair of life-saver in no time. They only stopped when Tezuka buchou got the plugs and sent them dagger looks. Inui Sadaharu could swear though that the buchou discreetly put the plugs in his ears. Oishi decided to be blind, deaf, and mute about it.

"Isn't it surprising though?" Takasan who unexpectedly had the highest sense than all of them said. "Eiji got several games from Fuji already. And Fuji doesn't seem focused in the game."

The rest surrendered to their fate again and resume watching the game. Eiji had already secured three games and was going for another one.

"Isn't it why you are playing tennis, Syu-chan?" Eiji continued taunting Fuji. "It's because this is the only place you will be called tensai?"

Before Fuji realized it, he squeezed the ball too hard before serving. The ball hit the other court and went straight up. It was not a twist serve, nor Kevin Smith's Illusion. It was a Knuckle Serve and it knocked Eiji off his feet. His acrobatics failed him.

There were several reactions in the court_. 'Was that intentional?', 'How was Kikumaru-senpai?' 'Eiji!'_ were only some of the exclamations. One thing was certain: before anybody could make a move to help Eiji, Fuji himself ran across the court, leaped over the net and checked on his friend. Eiji was not bleeding in any part of his face but he was not moving. There was a dark mark near his temple where the ball had hit. It could have been that on impulse, Eiji had dodged the ball to protect his precious indigo eyes resulting to the ball hitting his temple.

"Eiji! Daijobou?" Fuji asked, concern etched on his face and he did not even bother masking it with his usual placid aura. "E-Eiji?" Receiving no reaction, he turned to Ryuzaki-sensei who was already ordering for a stretcher. He then put Eiji's head on his lap, and checked for other bruises he thought were there but stubbornly did not show themselves.

Oishi, who was second to Fuji in rushing toward the unconscious Kikumaru, put an arm on Fuji's shoulder, "Fuji, calm down, everything would be fine."

Fuji looked incredulously at Seigaku's mother hen. His eyes showing the alarm he could not voice out. They also asked why Oishi, who was expected to panic at that incident, was not showing any sign of being a mother hen.

Fuji mentally cursed himself. _Blasted tennis game_. Wasn't he the one who told Kirihara Akaya that tennis should not be used to harm people? What had he just done? Kikumaru Eiji was not only a person. He was a team mate, a classmate, a friend—a person he could consider next to Yuuta. _Kuso_…

Before he could continue cursing himself to hell, the redhead began to stir. He first lolled his head, put a hand on the throbbing part, flinched at the impact of his own hand and opened his eyes. He immediately closed them though, adjusting him self to the light after getting used to the dark. When he opened them again, he was surprised to see a lot of people (eight 'regulars' plus one Ryuzaki-sensei plus the ichinen, plus the girl with braids and her noisy bestfriend) gawking at him. "A—are? Am I a new Pokemon?"

"Eiji, are you feeling better?"

"I am just fine, Oishi, nya!"

"Kikumaru-senpai, you gave us a heart attack, you did!"

"Mengo mengo Momo!"

"Eiji, did you break other bones?"

"I'm strong, hoi! I can even copy your Haddokyou nya!"

"You can try my next vegetable juice, Kikumaru for better reflexes."

"YYYAAAADDDDAAAA!"

"Fsshh… be careful senpai…"

"Hai hai, Kaido. Arigatou."

"Mada mada dane, Kikumaru senpai."

"OCHIBIIIII!"

"Kikumaru, go to the clinic if you are not feeling well."

"Iie, daijoubu, Tezuka. Yudan sezou ni ikou," the acrobat imitated their buchou's manner of saying his tag line which highly amused the team. It was a proof that Kikumaru Eiji was back.

"You made everyone worry you know," Ryuzaki sensei reprimanded the red head and checked for signs of internal bleeding. "Particularly this guy."

That was when Eiji became aware that he had been lying on Fuji's lap for quite sometime. He abruptly sat up still clutching his head and threw glances at the tensed tensai at the corner of his eyes.

What he saw surprised him. He had seen those cerulean eyes for so many times, but they never stopped surprising him. They were honest. They revealed what emotions the owner could not put into words. That was why Fuji wanted to hide them. That was why Eiji wanted to see them open always so he wouldn't have to guess what his friend was feeling.

Because at that moment, while the tensai's lips remained sealed, the eyes shouted thousands of sincere apologies, Eiji could have drowned.

"Nyarou, Fujiko. If you are really going to intentionally hurt me, hurt me well! You only scratched me, nya!" Eiji joked, winking and sticking his tongue out at the tensai.

Fuji saw this as a signal and he did what the others were not expecting him to do—he glomped Eiji until the other was out of breath due to laughter. If you are going to ask me why he did that, probably he wanted others to stop saying 'Sasuga, Fuji senpai' because in the first place it was unexpected. However, he earned a 'Sasuga Fuji Senpai' from Ryoma Echizen who already expected his senpai to do something unexpected. It was quite complex, but that's it.

However, if you were going to ask Fuji himself why he glomped Eiji at that time, probably he would tell you that somehow he felt unburdened to let his emotions out. It was a relief that he did not hurt Eiji seriously, and if he did, the acrobatic considered that their friendship GOES beyond childish physical games. Lastly, he probably would tell you that he was happy to have Kikumaru Eiji as a friend. Probably. We could not forever assume that Fuji enjoyed seeing someone suffer, right?

After a while, the regulars changed their clothes and proceeded to their journey home. While they were lazily walking toward the gate of Seishin Gakuen High and basking in the warm yet comforting light of the setting sun, they decided to analyze what had just happened like any normal group of young boys, analyzing a recently concluded sports match. There was still one question unanswered and Inui Sadaharu was very much willing to remind them that. No one however was willing enough to ask the boys concerned about it.

No one except Echizen Ryoma.

"Senpai-tachi, it's not normal for both of you to fight, right? What did you fight about?"

"ECHIZEN!"

"Nya, it was nothing serious."

"Saa, Eiji, do you want to start it again?"

"A-re? What did I do?"

"My pride is at stake."

"Fujiko," Eiji put an arm around the tensai's shoulders. "Admit it, you won't win against me."

"Says who?" Fuji flashed him his piercing eyes. The other regulars immediately turned into stones.

"Me, Kikumaru Eiji-sama." Cracks appeared here and there on the statues.

"ECHIZEEEEEN!"

"It's your fault. They are at it again, fffshssss…"

"They shouldn't be fighting anymore, they shouldn't be!"

"Ii, data…how long will this fight last…"

"Tezuka, we should do something about this now!"

"Kawamura," Tezuka said, not looking at the stressed Oishi. He handed the power player a racket.

"YOSHA! BUUUUUURRRRNING! You have to explain, baby. Come on!"

Kikumaru Eiji looked back at his team mates and was surprised to see all of them burning, probably influenced by Taka-san's burning mode. What he did not realize was Kaido and Momo were burning to punish Echizen, Oishi was overly stressed and showing it to Tezuka. The buchou was burning due to headache, and Inui was on fire in getting more data. "A-re? Why are they so intense, nya, Fujiko…"

"Saa…"

"Hm? So where are we going to continue our fight? Your house, or mine?"

"We fought in yours yesterday and I could not imagine facing your mother. Besides your sisters are noisy…"

"Speak to yourself. Yumiko can be nosy and noisy at times too."

"Hey, you too!" called out Oishi, aghast to find out that the two would still continue their trouble even in their own houses. "Fighting is dangerous, you'll only hurt yourself. Think that you are still friends and you are team mates…and…and…"

"You worry too much nya… we are just going to-"

A noisy car sped by drowning Eiji's voice. It was not noisy enough though for the team not to hear it. With that, the two took their leave, going to Fuji's house.

"Echizen, did you hear that too?"

"I am sure I did."

"Ii data…"

"Fsshhh…"

"Let's go with them and play Pokemon too! Burning! I will choose Charizard, baby!"

"Tezuka…"

"Sa…Yudan sezou ni ikou."

….

In Fuji's room…two boys slumped on the floor. They were still wearing their school uniform but their bags were thrown carelessly on the bed. Yumiko's laptop was in front of them and at the moment it was flashing different pictures of seemingly innocent animals with different powers.

"I told you already that grass pokemons are stronger than rock types, nya!"

"Gomen gomen, Eiji. I just want to try though…don't stones crush plants?"

"But they also grow on stones and break them, hoi. I thought you would know this after taking care of cacti for so long!"

"Eiji, my Pikachu leveled up. What should I do?"

"Mou, Fujiko, you are really lousy at this…"

"Do you really enjoy rubbing it in?"

"Don't look at me with those eyes nya!"

**More A/N: I am into a GBA Pokemon application in my pc and I have been neglecting so many things because of it…I am glad it has inspired me to write this one. Whether you like it or not, kindly review. Hehe. Flames will receive one of Fuji's triple counters and maybe I can throw in one Kikumaru Beam or two.**

**Saa…I think I have enough break to continue Good Combination.**

**Zanen Munen Mataraishuu**


End file.
